Synopsis
When Torak a 13-year-old boy is left home with his two siblings and a maid, this is due to his mother’s demanding job that has her away on business trips. Torak fascinated by a serial killer who stabs his victims’ multiple times has his bedroom walls dominated with pictures of his idol with knives. He becomes increasingly withdrawn and detached from his siblings Bobby 10 and Rania 8 years who are ever up and down in the house running about.
Meanwhile his obsession with the serial killer intensifies blurring the line between fantasy and reality, he begins to stalk his siblings from the shadows as they play. He creates a sinister board attaching pictures of them and his mother.
Torak stalks the maid wanting to stab her as she is doing her make-up, he hides the knife when she notices him. The moment she leaves the house to visit a friend, Torak, lures his siblings in the store house, Rania first as Bobby is asleep and kills her, copycatting his idol.
Lies to Bobby about taking him to where Rania is that same evening, he kills him too and one by one they vanish. Torak goes ahead to cross off the faces of his dead siblings on his sinister board leaving only his parents.
By the time the maid returns, asking about the kids, she gets no response from the nonresponsive Torak who is covered in blood. She is frightened but Torak calmly smiles at her saying “hi.”
Director’s statement
Why do they kill? What makes them do it? These questions flood my mind whenever I watch the news, and the headlines are about a murder that has happened somewhere in the country. The desire to have a one-on-one conversation with these killers and find out the reasons they must justify their actions. To figure out whether it is their own will, other circumstances and maybe the devil made them do it. Or it is the answer of finding pleasure in doing it. Through maximum involvement in watching real life murders on the Investigation Discovery Channel, I realized that sometimes it begins way back at childhood, the characters we become sometimes are a mirror of those neglected minor but insidious aspects of childhood that end up manifesting during adulthood.
This film is a haunting exploration of the devastating consequences of unsupervised media, neglect and the blurring of reality and fantasy. I want to create a sense of unease and tension, revealing the darker aspects of human nature that can emerge when we neglect our responsibilities and connections. Through the character of Torak, I aim to show how obsession and fascination can lead to a descent into darkness and thus exploring the dangers of unchecked obsession especially on media consumption and the fragility of childhood innocence.
As the parents’ absence and disconnection create a void, Torak’s fascination with the serial killer becomes a twisted coping mechanism. His withdrawal and detachment serve as a warning sign, ignored by the adults in his life.
By exploring the darker aspects of human nature, I hope to create a thought-provoking and
unsettling film that resonates long after the credits roll leaving audiences with a lasting sense of unease and a renewed appreciation for the importance of empathy and connection in their children’s lives. This film can be related to We Need to Talk About Kevin directed by Lynne Ramsay. By delving into the psyche of Torak, it will leave audiences questioning the true nature of evil and its ability to manifest in the most unexpected ways.
Through the use of low-key lighting to create deep shadows and emphasize the darkness of the character’s emotions, dark and shadowy corners to create a sense of unknown threats lurking in the shadows. Tight angle close ups especially on Torak to show his growing obsession and detachment. Over the shoulder shots of Torak stalking his siblings making it seem like he is invading their privacy. Sound design that creates a dark, eerie and foreboding atmosphere such as creaking doors, silence and music like The world of Law by Lustmord to create a sense of unease and an unsettling atmosphere that immerses the audience in the world of the film.
Torak will wear only deep, rich red color clothing’s making him appear an ominous figure in the low-key lighting creating a jarring contrast with his surrounding and a warning sign alerting the audience for potential threats. This stark contrast will create a haunting and unsettling visual effect that adds to the overall tension and unease in the film. The other characters will dress in dark colors like black, dark gray or navy blue to create a darker and more ominous mood that will create a sense of foreboding of the horror that will befall them.
The walls will have a tainted white color like cream, dirty white to create a sense of neglect, decay and imperfection. Dark colors will be used for the furniture such as black to create a sense of depth and darkness. I will use slow pacing to build tension, crosscuts between different locations or scenes to create a
sense of unease and make the camera linger on the bodies of the children to emphasize the moments of horror.
This film will be shot in the present setting, and the dominating language will be Luganda except for a few English phrases.
Director’s Bio
Sanyu Sandra is a Ugandan filmmaker, poet, and visual storyteller whose work is speculative fiction. She began her filmmaking journey under the Sisi Film Lab, where she has written and directed five short films including Murder Chose Me (2025), The Game (2024), Hide (2024), All is Gone (2024), Body of evidence (2024).
Sandra has served as Assistant Director on the science fiction shorts Little Red Eve and A Thousand Ways to Face Change, as well as on the second season of the TV series Kabi and Kalo.
She also worked on the film Please Wait as costume designer. She produced the short film Asiimwe’s Gift (Ekirabo kya Asiimwe), which won the Western Regional Award from the Uganda Communications Commission. Sandra has also directed and concept-led nine poetic short films that merge spoken word with cinematic expression where some are premiered on YouTube. She has produced, directed and written two episodes of the ongoing Tv series, Tatu Taps on love.
Producer’s Bio
Andrew H Omuna is very passionate about film. He has been involved in the industry in various capacity. He was involved in a student project at Makerere University; BREAKING THE MESH as a producer and actor, 2 Maisha Fil Lab funded projects; ME & MYSELF and CHEBET as a production manager and sound recordist respectively. He has also been involved in other projects like DRAWN TOGETHER and HANG OUT directed by Kihire Kennedy. He was a production manager on both projects. In 2018, he received training in sound recording in the field by One Fine Day Films in Kenya. In 2023, he co-directed a YouTube drama KABI AND KALO in collaboration with Dilstories.
Year: 2025
Genre: Thriller
Duration: 8 minutes
Cast
Abudul Samil Kajubi
Christiana Atulinda Taaka
Nakimera Rahida Nahla
Kalyowa Jovan
Writer/Director
Sanyu Sandra
Producer
Andrew H Omuna
AD
Charlie Kobong
Cinematography
Okullu Johnson Kibazu
Camera Assistant
Cankara Reagan
Second Assistant Camera
Simon Smoke
Editor
Victor Mugabe
Sound Recordist
Aineman Moris Takumi
Sound Assistant
Namulya Giovanni Yona
Gaffer
Simon smoke
Production Designer
Okot Emmanuel
Costumes and Makeup
Nakanwagi Cabrine
Production Assistant
Angel Gumisiriza
Props
Patricia Nakandi
Props Assistant
Akwi Salome
Postproduction supervisor
Dilman Dila
Music By
Kevin Macleod
incompetech.com
